The MPs Using The Taxpayer To Own Wellington Property

Thursday, 12 October 2023, 8:17 am
Article: Scoop Election Podcast

In the last week of politicking the Post newspaper brought to light the fact that while most Kiwis are struggling with a cost of living and housing crisis a significant ‘minority’ of MPs are investing in Wellington real estate on the taxpayer. According to the Post, at least 20 MPs, are claiming up to $45,000 a year from the taxpayer to stay in Wellington homes they themselves own.

Included in this number is National Leader Christopher Luxon who since the start of 2021 has claimed around $90,000 to live in his own house in Wellington. Christopher Luxon also bought a house in Botany and converted it into an electorate office for which he receives rent from Parliament.

All the allowances for owning and renting electorate offices are totally within the Parliamentary rules, however it is worth noting that while there are around 20 MPs that currently take advantage of the rules to invest in Wellington real estate the vast majority don’t.

No MPs from either the Green Party or Te Pāti Māori currently use the parliamentary allowance to purchase Wellington property and only one MP (Simon Court) from ACT takes advantage of this system.

Many well off Labour and National MPs that own multiple properties in other locations that could take advantage of this system choose not to do so.

Those MPs who live in the Wellington region like the Prime Minister Chris Hipkin’s, Finance Minister Grant Robertson and Police Minister Ginny Andersen cannot use this system.

Long serving Ministers such as Damien O’Connor, David Parker, Nanaia Mahuta, and Megan Woods, who have the capital to utilise this system (Cabinet ministers earn $296,007), have not as yet.

However, according to the Post, four ministers (Duncan Webb, Jan Tinetti, Deborah Russell, and Willie Jackson) claimed the capped allowance, of up to $45,000 a year, to cover living costs in the city. They then use it to pay rent on property they already own.

As reiterated throughout this article none of the MPs that take advantage of this system are breaking any rules. The rules around using this system are however relatively open and transparent so that the public can observe how the MPs they elect behave withing those rules. In the interests of transparency, prior to Election 23, here is a list of MPs that claim the accommodation allowance and own Wellington property.

National Party MPs: Christopher Luxon, Andrew Bayly; Gerry Brownlee; Judith Collins; Jacqui Dean; Barbara Kuriger; Melissa Lee; Ian McKelvie; Mark Mitchell; Simon O’Connor; Stuart Smith; Louise Upston and Michael Woodhouse.

Labour Party MPs: Willie Jackson, Sarah Pallet, Deborah Russell, Jenny Salesa, Jamie Strange, Jan Tinetti, Duncan Webb, Arena Williams.

ACT Party: Simon Court.

No Te Pāti Māori or Green Party MPs.

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